about our town

Our History

History and tradition abound here in Warm Springs, Georgia. We're a land saturated with momentous historical events and figures; we're Warm Springs, where the beautiful rolling hardwood forests are a scenic backdrop for this village reclaimed from the dusty history books.

In the early years, Creek and Iroquois Indians used to frequent the eternally warm waters of the springs edging the Pine Mountain hillside. They brought their sick and wounded to be "healed" in the mineral-rich springs. Later, many would follow that thinking, coming here for a respite from the sultry cities or more importantly, to aid in the treatment of polio.

The History of the Warm Springs

They flocked to the waters for health.......The warm mineral springs drew settlers to the area, and in 1832 when David Rose built the first "resort area" in Warm Springs, its popularity grew. Later in 1893, Charles Davis built the very Victorian 300-room Meriwether Inn. There was a dance pavilion, bowling alley, tennis court and trap shooting. From the nearly 90 degree springs flowing from the hillside of Pine Mountain, resort pools were constructed. It became "the place" for a summer retreat. But at the turn of the century, the resort and the town fell into a decline.

It was the late former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who first gave national recognition to Warm Springs when, in 1924, he visited the town's naturally heated mineral springs as treatment for his polio related paralysis. Georgia State Parks recently refurbished the pools and, although they are now mostly empty, a touch pool still exists where visitors are welcome to feel the actual warm spring water and listen to information about its' history. The warm springs maintains a constant 88 degree temperature year round and flows at approximately 914 gallons per minute.

Unfortunately the springs are not available for public use as a bath/spa resort, but they are used by the Roosevelt Warm Springs for therapeutic purposes. The Springs Museum is open daily for tours from 9:00 am until 4:30 pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. For more information call 706-655-5870.

Today, the warmth of the springs is steeped right into the very personalities of the people who live here. Progressive, yet still tied to our traditions, we love to befriend each other and certainly our visitors, and we still take great pleasure in the Southern way of doing things-----cleanly, honestly, but with a mite slower pace!